Bunk bed assembly

ABSTRACT

A bunk bed assembly including a lower bed having a plurality of hollow support posts and an upper bed having a plurality of hollow support posts. A column means is disposed between a pair of posts of the respective beds and as a first end abutting a support post of the lower bed and a second end abutting a support post of the upper bed. A pair of U-shaped elements having a pair of legs and an interconnecting base with the legs thereof attached to the column means extend from each end of the column means and into the adjacent support posts.

United States Patent Litkewycz July 25, 1972 [54] BUNK BED ASSEMBLY 3,004,784 10/1961 Selby ..287/2 [72] Inventor: Stanley Lltkewycz, Detroit, M1ch. Primary Examiner aobby R y [73] Assignee: Lear Siegler, Inc., Detroit, Mich. Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette Filed Oct 26 1970 Attorney-McGlynn, Reising, Milton & Ethington Appl. No.: 80,003

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 7] ABSTRACT A bunk bed assembly including a lower bed having a plurality of hollow support posts and an upper bed having a plurality of hollow support posts. A column means is disposed between a pair of posts of the respective beds and as a first end abutting a support post of the lower bed and a second end abutting a support post of the upper bed. A pair of U-shaped elements having a pair of legs and an interconnecting base with the legs thereof attached to the column means extend from each end of the column means and into the adjacent support posts.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BUNK BED ASSEMBLY This invention relates to an assembly for interconnecting two hollow posts of the type utilized in furniture such as bunk bed assembly. Although it will be appreciated that the instant invention has various applications it is particularly useful in a bunk bed assembly.

A bunk bed assembly includes upper and lower beds which are alike in configuration and dimension whereby each of the respective beds may be utilized separately as an independent bed.

In the past when such beds are disposed one on top of the other in a bunk bed assembly the connections between the legs or support posts of the beds are frequently undesirably noticeable, not sufficiently sturdy and/or relatively expensive.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide an assembly for interconnecting members, such as the support posts in bunk beds, which provides a one-piece appearance is sturdy and is relatively inexpensive.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bunk bed assembly constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the connecting means interconnecting the support posts of the bunk bed assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one end of the connecting means.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a bunk bed assembly constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally shown at 10.

The bunk bed assembly includes a lower bed 12 having a plurality (4) of legs or hollow support posts 14. The lower bed 12 is of the well known construction including the side board 16, the spring assembly 18, the mattress 20 and panels 22 connecting the support posts 14 at each end. The bunk bed assembly also includes an upper bed 24 which also has a plurality (4) of legs or hollow support posts 26. In other respects the upper bed 24 is identical to the lower bed 12.

A connecting means generally indicated at 28 interconnects each support post 14 of the lower bed 12 with a support post 26 of the upper bed 24. Each connecting means 28 includes a column means generally indicated at 30 with a first end 32 abutting a support post 14 of the lower bed 12 and a second end 34 abutting a support post 26 of the upper bed 24. Each connecting means 28 also include guide means generally indicated at 36 extending from each end of the column means 30 and into the adjacent support post 14 and 26 which abut the column means 30. Each guide means 36 includes a pair of members comprising a pair of U-shaped elements 38 extending from the column means 30 and disposed in transverse planes. Each U-shaped element 38 has a pair of legs and a semi-circular base interconnecting the legs. The legs of each U-shaped element are attached to the column means 30 as by being welded thereto. The legs of each U-shaped element extend to the base thereof which is disposed adjacent to and crosses the base of the other U-shaped element, as is best illustrated in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that the outer periphery of the column means 30 is the same as and contiguous with the outer periphery of the ends of the abutting support posts 14 and 26. More specifically, the periphery of the column means 30 and the support posts 14 and 26 is uniform therealong in that all have four sides. Additionally the column means 30 as well as the posts 14 and 26 are hollow and have four corners. The legs of the U-shaped elements 38 are disposed in the interior of the corners of the column means and are welded thereto as indicated in FIG. 3. The U-shaped elements 38 are made of a wire having a circular cross section.

In one preferred embodiment the support posts 14 and 26 are 1 1/2 inches by 1 inch and are of 16 gauge rectangular steel tubing and the U-shaped elements 32 are number 3 gauge wire having a diameter of 0.243 inches.

In assembling the beds, connecting means 28 are disposed at the top of the support posts 14 of the lower bed by having the lowermost U-shaped elements 38 extend into the tops of the hollow support posts 14. Thereafter the lower open ends of the support post 26 of the upper bed 24 are disposed onto the upwardly extending U-shaped elements 38 which extend upwardly from column means 30. The upper ends of the support post 26 of the upper bed 24 are closed by caps.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the present invention in which an ex-, elusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A bunk bed assembly comprising: a lower bed having a plurality of hollow support posts; an upper bed having a plurality of hollow support posts; a connecting means interconnecting each support post of said lower bed with a support post of said upper bed, each connecting means including a column means with a first end abutting a support post of said lower bed and a second end abutting a support post of said upper bed and guide means extending from each end of said column means and into the adjacent support posts abutting said column means, each guide means including a pair of members extending from said column means and disposed in transverse planes, said pair of members comprising a pair of U-shaped elements each of which has a pair of legs and a base interconnecting said legs, the legs of each U-shaped element being attached to said column means and extend to said base which is disposed adjacent to and crosses the base of the other U-shaped element.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer periphery of said first end of said column means is the same as and contiguous with the outer periphery of the end of the abutting support post and the outer periphery of said second end of said column means is the same as and contiguous with the outerperiphery of the end of the abutting support post.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the outer periphery of said column means and said support posts is uniform therealong.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein each column means is hollow.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each support post and each column means has a four sided cross section to define four corners.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the legs of said U-shaped elements are disposed in said corners.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said U-shaped elements are made of wire having a circular cross section.

8. A furniture assembly comprising first and second hollow posts, hollow column means having a first end abutting said first post and a second end abutting said second post, a pair of U-shaped elements disposed at each end of said column means and each of which has a pair of legs and a base interconnecting said legs, the legs of each U-shaped element being attached to one of said column means and the adjacent post and extending into the other, said bases of said U-shaped elements being crossed.

9. An assembly comprising: a first hollow member, a second hollow member, a pair of U-shaped elements each having a pair of legs and a base interconnecting said legs, said bases being adjacent one another and crossed, the legs of each element being attached to one of said hollow members and extending into the other of said hollow members.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said hollow members have a four sided cross section to define four corners and said legs are disposed in said corners. 

1. A bunk bed assembly comprising: a lower bed having a plurality of hollow support posts; an upper bed having a plurality of hollow support posts; a connecting means interconnecting each support post of said lower bed with a support post of said upper bed, each connecting means including a column means with a first end abutting a support post of said lower bed and a second end abutting a support post of said upper bed and guide means extending from each end of said column means and into the adjacent support posts abutting said column means, each guide means including a pair of members extending from said column means and disposed in transverse planes, said pair of members comprising a pair of U-shaped elements each of which has a pair of legs and a base interconnecting said legs, the legs of each U-shaped element being attached to said column means and extend to said base which is disposed adjacent to and crosses the base of the other U-shaped element.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer periphery of said first end of said column means is the same as and contiguous with the outer periphery of the end of the abutting support post and the outer periphery of said second end of said column means is the same as and contiguous with the outer periphery of the end of the abutting support post.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the outer periphery of said column means and said support posts is uniform therealong.
 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein each column means is hollow.
 5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each support post and each column means has a four sided cross section to define four corners.
 6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein the legs of said U-shaped elements are disposed in said corners.
 7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said U-shaped elements are made of wire having a circular cross section.
 8. A furniture assembly comprising first and second hollow posts, hollow column means having a first end abutting said first post and a second end abutting said second post, a pair of U-shaped elements disposed at each end of said column means and each of which has a pair of legs and a base interconnecting said legs, the legs of each U-shaped element being attached to one of said column means and the adjacent post and extending into the other, said bases of said U-shaped elements being crossed.
 9. An assembly comprising: a first hollow member, a second hollow member, a pair of U-shaped elements each having a pair of legs and a base interconnecting said legs, said bases being adjacent one another and crossed, the legs of each element being attached to one of said hollow members and extending into the other of said hollow members.
 10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said hollow members have a four sided cross section to define four corners and said legs are disposed in said corners. 